Department for Transport

Tunnels: West Yorkshire

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 22 January (HL4463), whether Highways England still plan to begin abandonment works this summer, or whether they will wait until the results of the assessment of the future of the Queensbury Tunnel by the firm of consultant chartered surveyors appointed by the Department for Transport have been received and assessed; and whether Highways England have reported any issues at this stage which require action in the short term on the grounds of public safety.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport has received professional advice from Highways England, which manages the Queensbury Tunnel on behalf of the Secretary of State. Highways England manage over 3,500 former railway structures on behalf of the Department for Transport. Based upon their knowledge of the condition of each of these structures from annual inspections, Queensbury Tunnel has received the highest risk ranking of all of these structures since Highways England took over such responsibilities in September 2013. The concerns of Highways England about the condition of the Queensbury Tunnel have only increased as there have been two known partial collapses of the tunnel linings since that date. Those two partial collapses have occurred over the past four years and reflect an accelerated worsening condition of the tunnel as time progresses. Highways England advise that there can be no certainty about when the next collapse of the tunnel will take place or where and in their professional view there is a clear and present risk to safety should a further collapse cause a structural failure of one of these ventilation shafts and potential consequent undermining. Highways England advise that risk must now be addressed. In view of this Highways England have asked that they be authorised and funded to commence abandonment works in September 2018 and have completed their due diligence on the matter; they have suggested that they will shortly submit a planning application to undertake the works. The actions by Highways England are related wholly to public safety and are without prejudice to any further discussions in respect of surveys and considerations about the tunnel’s future involving the Department for Transport, the City of Bradford and other interested parties. Pending any commencement of safety works by Highways England the Department for Transport will continue to discuss a possible transfer to the local authority.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Minimum Wage

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to enforce minimum wage standards across the UK.

lord henley: The Government takes robust enforcement action against employers who do not pay their staff in accordance with the National Minimum Wage (NMW) regulations. The budget for enforcing the National Minimum and Living Wage has increased from £13.2 million in 2015/16 to £25.3 million for 2017/18, leading to an increase in the number of compliance officers available to investigate abuses.The penalty regime has been significantly strengthened in recent years; in 2016 the financial penalty was increased to 200% of arrears. We have also changed the penalty cap to apply on a ‘per worker’ rather than ‘per employer’ basis; this means that employers who break the law face a maximum penalty up to £20,000 maximum per worker.To further deter employers from underpaying their staff, BEIS runs an NMW public naming scheme, publishing a quarterly list of employers who have failed to pay their staff the NMW.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Burma: Armed Conflict

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the intensifying conflict in Kachin and Northern Shan states in Burma; what representations they have made to the government and military of Burma to address the crisis; and what steps they are taking to respond to the needs of internally displaced peoples in those areas.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is deeply concerned about the intensifying conflict in Kachin and Northern Shan states. We raised our concerns about credible reports of human rights abuses and violations in those regions at the Human Rights Council's Interactive Dialogue with the Fact Finding Mission on Burma on 19 September 2017. The British Ambassador in Rangoon visited Kachin State from 8 to 10 January 2018 to discuss the situation with local political and religious leaders as well as UN and non-governmental organisation representatives, and visit an Internally Displaced Persons camp. The UK has contributed £4.1 million this financial year to humanitarian assistance for conflict affected people in Kachin and Northern Shan States, including in non-government controlled areas.

Pakistan: USA

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representationsthey have made to the government of the United States aboutthat government's decision to suspend aid to Pakistan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Both this Government and the US have been urging Pakistan to take action against all terrorist groups operating in Pakistan, as Pakistan has committed to do. The UK and US frequently discuss this and other issues relating to Pakistan, but of course matters concerning US aid are a matter for the US Government.

Poland: Administration of Justice

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representationsthey have made to the government of Poland about that government's proposed changes to its judicial system.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has a proud history in encouraging, respecting, and promoting the rule of law. British and Polish Ministers regularly discuss issues raised by the Polish Government's judicial reforms, including the ongoing dialogue between the Commission and the Polish Government. Most recently this was discussed at the Inter-Governmental Consultations in Warsaw on 21 December.

Sudan: Demonstrations

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Sudan regarding the arrest of civilians participating in recent peaceful demonstrations.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Our Ambassador in Khartoum and the UK Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan raised concerns about the Government of Sudan's response to recent protests in a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs on 21 January.We will continue to make clear to the Government of Sudan that it is crucial that the Sudanese people are allowed to exercise their right to freedom of expression. We urge those exercising their fundamental rights to express their opinions peacefully.

Nicaragua: Politics and Government

baroness donaghy: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the steps taken by the government of Nicaragua to hold free and fair elections and to ensure that its judicial system is independent, following approval of the proposed Nicaragua Investment Conditionality Act 2017 by the United States House of Representatives in October 2017.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Nicaraguan Government has taken some positive steps towards improving democracy and the rule of law. They invited the Organisation of American States (OAS) to observe the municipal elections in November 2017; committed to the monitoring of the next Presidential elections; and agreed a programme of visits by the OAS focused on strengthening democracy.While the OAS noted “important advances” in Nicaragua’s electoral process in its preliminary report on the municipal elections, it also made clear that the country's electoral system would benefit from comprehensive electoral reform and a stronger judicial and administrative framework. Pressure on opposition parties, restrictions on the media and a weak judiciary all remain concerns for the strength of democracy in Nicaragua.

Southern Africa: Education

lord german: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 24 January (HL4591), whether they will provide details of (1) the two education projects supported in Swaziland, and (2) the two education projects supported in Lesotho in 2017.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: I regret that due to an administrative error, my previous response initially contained incorrect information. This has been corrected on the Official Report (PQ HL4591) since the question was tabled.In fact, the British Council supported one project in Swaziland and one in Lesotho in 2017. In both cases, this was the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP). The CSFP is an annual scheme made available to all the Commonwealth countries by the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission.The CSFP is aimed at students of Commonwealth countries who can make a significant contribution to their home country after the completion of a higher education programme in the UK. The British Council provides pre-departure briefings for all scholars on living and studying in the UK, and looks after alumni relations including periodic networking events. The British Council held pre-departure briefings in 2017 and 2016 for scholars from Swaziland and Lesotho.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Brexit

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the economy of businesses implementing contingency plans for a hard Brexit due to lack of clarity over Brexit and the transition period.

lord callanan: The Government is undertaking a wide range of analysis to support our EU exit negotiations and preparations, looking across the UK economy and drawing on input from numerous stakeholders. We recognise the need for businesses to prepare contingency plans, and we continue to engage with companies to provide clarity wherever we can and to understand the challenges they may face.

Attorney General

Offences against the Administration of Justice: Prosecutions

lord campbell-savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions have taken place between the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Attorney General on the potential prosecution of the person referred to as “Nick”, who made allegations about historical sexual abuse; and when a decision on whether a prosecution will take place will be made.

lord keen of elie: The DPP has regular meetings with the Attorney General about the work of the Crown Prosecution Service, but the CPS makes its prosecuting decisions independently. The CPS has been passed a file by police in respect of potential offences of perverting the course of justice and fraud against ‘Nick’ and will make a decision on whether to bring a prosecution in due course.In the meantime, ‘Nick’ has been charged separately with four offences of making indecent images of children and voyeurism.

Department for Education

Social Mobility Commission

lord clement-jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to appoint new Commissioners to the Social Mobility Commission; and if so, when.

lord agnew of oulton: The Department for Education is fully committed to the work of the Social Mobility Commission. We plan to begin the appointments process for a new chair and commissioners in due course. This is a public appointment, and the process will follow the procedures set out in the attached ‘Public appointments: guidance to departments’.



HL5102 Attach
(PDF Document, 461.57 KB)

Swimming: Primary Education

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of primary school children leave their primary schools unable to swim.

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of secondary school pupils leave their secondary schoolsunable to swim.

lord agnew of oulton: The Swim Group was set up in 2015, bringing together representatives from across the swimming sector. The government asked the Swim Group to submit an independent report setting out recommendations for improving curriculum swimming as part of the attached Sporting Future strategy. The report, also attached, found that almost a third (31%) of Year 6 pupils leave school unable to swim. The Department for Education has established an implementation group, which brings together officials from across government with stakeholders. The group is reviewing the recommendations in the report with a view to agreeing what action to take to support more pupils to learn to swim. The department does not collect or hold data on secondary school pupils.



Sporting Future strategy 
(PDF Document, 1.19 MB)




Report Recommendations on swim ability 
(PDF Document, 3.33 MB)

Ministry of Justice

Liverpool Prison

lord lee of trafford: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byLord Keen of Elie on 5 January (HL4312) and 24 January (HL4477), when was the most recent ministerial visit to HM Prison Liverpool prior to the Prisons Minister's visit on 22 January.

lord keen of elie: In my answer to HL4312 I confirmed that there had been no ministerial visits to HMP Liverpool in the last year. I also advised of the prison visits undertaken by ministers in 2016 and 2017 in my response to HL4313. Information on ministerial visits before that time would need to be retrieved from manual records at the prison or from archived records held by the Ministry of Justice. This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

High Rise Flats: Fire Prevention

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, once the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety is complete, they intend to offer advice to local authorities regarding legal action being taken against those building firms and their sub-contractors that did not ensure compliance with building regulations and fire safety provisions in relation to the cladding of high-rise buildings.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Under provisions in the Building Act (1984) it is for local authorities to decide when a prosecution for non-compliance with the requirements in the Building Regulations would be appropriate.

Ministry of Defence

Defence

lord richards of herstmonceux: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the UK has strategic equivalents to the United States National Security Strategy and the United States National Defence Strategy; and, if so, what they are.

earl howe: The Government's National Security Strategy (NSS) is the strategic equivalent to the United States National Security Strategy. The Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) is the strategic equivalent to the United States National Defense Strategy, though it is not limited in scope to Defence matters as is the case in the USA.

Royal Logistics Corps

lord temple-morris: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the principal response from soldiers leaving the Royal Logistics Corps in exit interviews.

earl howe: As with any vocation, personnel leave the Armed Forces for a variety of reasons. Exit interviews are conducted at a unit level but are not routinely collated centrally. As part of the leaving process, soldiers complete a short survey. Within the Royal Logistic Corps, 2016/17 survey responses indicate that the primary reasons for leaving included seeking fresh challenges, opportunities outside of the Army, personal circumstances, and job satisfaction.

Department for Work and Pensions

Personal Independence Payment

baroness thomas of winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Personal Independence Payment assessors who are asked by claimants what professional qualifications they hold are obliged to inform those claimants.

baroness buscombe: There is no requirement for Health Professionals to inform claimants of their qualifications when they first meet and introduce themselves. If asked about qualifications it would be at the Health Professional’s discretion whether or not to disclose this information.All Health Professionals undertaking PIP assessments must be registered with the appropriate professional body such as the General Medical Council or Nursing and Midwifery Council and have at least 2 years post full-registration experience. Details of any Health Professional’s primary qualifications are publically available on the websites of the relevant governing body.

Department of Health and Social Care

Medical Equipment: Pakistan

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend torequire the NHS supply chain to be subject to the same transparency requirements as private companies under the Modern Slavery Act 2015, having regard to concerns raised over suppliers of medical instruments in Pakistan; and if not, why not.

lord o'shaughnessy: DHL run the NHS Supply Chain operation and are subject to the transparency in supply chains requirements of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. Their Modern Slavery Statement, made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, for the financial year ended 31 December 2017 outlines DHL's policy and supplier code of conduct regarding modern slavery. A copy of the statement is attached.In addition, DHL also provide specific information on how they are addressing the issue of modern slavery in the context of the NHS Supply Chain operation.DHL applies a Supplier Code of Conduct which outlines their main principles for suppliers in the area of labour standards and worker welfare. All suppliers are expected to adhere to these principles which address issues including child labour, forced labour, wages, working hours and health and safety. The Supplier Code of Conduct is a contractual requirement and has been part of all NHS Supply Chain Framework Agreements since 2009. It is based on the principles of the United Nations Global Compact.Suppliers have a responsibility to have appropriate systems in place to ensure that the principles of the Supplier Code of Conduct are upheld both within their own operations and those of their supply chain partners.To provide a consistent basis for the way that suppliers manage labour standards within their supply chains, DHL requires suppliers of surgical instruments to implement and operate a Labour Standards Assurance System (LSAS) in line with a defined management system specification. Suppliers are contractually obligated to conduct independent third party audits on their LSAS annually as a minimum, and provide evidence that their systems meet the required standard to DHL.



Modern Slavery Statement
(PDF Document, 41.07 KB)

Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 24 January (HL4671), what assessment they have made of the accuracy of the assertion by Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust that staff were consulted appropriately in October and November 2017 over plans to establish a wholly-owned company to run estates and other support services; and how it relates to the date on which the decision to establish the company was taken by the Board.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord O'Shaughnessy on 24 January (HL4673), why the Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust established a wholly-owned subsidiary company prior to consulting Clinical Commissioning Groups locally about the proposal.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 24 January (HL4674), why no staff consultation took place prior to the decision of the Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to establish a wholly-owned subsidiary company.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate has been made of the additional time spent by the Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Board discussing clinical matters as a result of establishing a wholly-owned subsidiary company to run estates and other support services.

lord o'shaughnessy: On 25 January 2017, the Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust board approved work to examine the case for establishing a wholly owned subsidiary for estates and facilities management. On 20 December 2017, after staff consultation had taken place, the Trust board approved the formation of a wholly owned subsidiary.NHS Improvement has reviewed key relevant documents including the Trust board paper evidencing informal staff engagement about the proposed changes during October 2017, as well as a formal 30-day staff consultation during November 2017. Following the staff consultation, the Trust made changes to its proposal which benefitted the staff transferring to the new company. The Trust has confirmed to NHS Improvement that it took legal advice in relation to its duty to consult staff on the changes. The Trust did not establish the wholly-owned subsidiary prior to consulting clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). NHS Improvement has seen correspondence from Somerset CCG on 19 December 2017 giving permission for the wholly-owned subsidiary to be a permitted subcontractor. NHS Improvement has seen similar correspondence from NHS England Specialised Commissioners on 22 November 2017 approving the wholly-owned subsidiary as a permitted subcontractor. The Trust board took the decision to approve the formation of the wholly owned subsidiary on 20 December 2017.Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has told NHS Improvement that it has not been necessary to spend additional time beyond normal Board business discussing clinical matters as a result of establishing a wholly-owned subsidiary company.

Thyroid Diseases: Drugs

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to whichthe NHS England document Items which should not be routinely prescribed in primary care: Guidance for CCGsreflects the most recent view of the British Thyroid Association.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any Clinical Commissioning Groups refused to allow patients to be prescribed liothyronine (T3) before the consultation on Items which should not be routinely prescribed in primary care: Guidance for CCGscommenced; and if so, why.

lord o'shaughnessy: We understand that the British Thyroid Association (BTA) advises that a small proportion of patients treated with the most commonly used drug, levothyroxine, continue to suffer with symptoms despite adequate biochemical correction. In these circumstances, where levothyroxine has failed and in line with BTA guidance, endocrinologists providing NHS services may recommend liothyronine for individual patients after a carefully audited trial of at least three months’ duration of liothyronine.NHS England’s recommendations to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) take account of those of the BTA and are to:- Advise CCGs that prescribers in primary care should not initiate liothyronine for any new patient; - Advise CCGs that individuals currently prescribed liothyronine should be reviewed by a consultant NHS endocrinologist with consideration given to switching to levothyroxine where clinically appropriate; and - Advise CCGs that a local decision, involving the Area Prescribing Committee (or equivalent) informed by national guidance (e.g. from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence or the Regional Medicines Optimisation Committee), should be made regarding arrangements for on-going prescribing of liothyronine. This should be for individuals who, in exceptional circumstances, have an on-going need for liothyronine as confirmed by a consultant National Health Service endocrinologist.A number of CCGs had already created local policies on the prescribing of liothryronine before the national consultation started in July 2017.

Levothyroxine

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of patients treated with levothyroxine continue to suffer with symptoms despite adequate biochemical correction.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherthey intend tocommission research to evaluate the impact on patientsof reduced access to liothyronine (T3) for the treatment of thyroid disease.

lord o'shaughnessy: We understand that whilst it is recognised that some patients on levothyroxine remain symptomatic despite treatment leading to thyroid stimulating hormone levels in the therapeutic range, it is not possible to predict the number as the reasons for this are not fully understood; such patients should be under the care of an endocrinologist. Where clinical commissioning groups decide to implement recommendations in NHS England’s guidance, they are responsible for deciding whether further action is required, such as commissioning research, to monitor uptake and outcomes.

Liothyronine

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatestimate they have made of (1) the additional workload, and (2) the added cost for secondary care providers resulting from the decisions that (a) individuals currently prescribed liothyronine should be reviewed by a consultant NHS endocrinologist with consideration given to switching to levothyroxine where clinically appropriate, and (b) individual patients with an ongoing need for liothyronine should have that confirmed by a consultant NHS endocrinologist.

lord o'shaughnessy: We have made no such estimate. However NHS England expects local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) – who have responsibility for commissioning these services - to have regard to the guidance when determining their local prescribing decisions. As such, it will be for local CCGs, in conjunction with local providers to determine what is best for patients and as part of their decision making, the resources available to implement any change.The Regional Medicines Optimisation Committee (South) has considered this issue in further detail and a statement will be issued by them in due course to support CCGs and secondary care providers in reviewing patients, in line with the recommendations made. Regional Medicines Optimisation Committees make recommendations, provide resources and co-ordinate activities to ensure the optimal use of medicines for the benefit of patients and the National Health Service.

Mental Health Services: Standards

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) failings in the mental health system, (2) the identified causes of such failings, and (3) remedial actions proposed by the Care Quality Commission, especially to reduce the number of detentions made under the Mental Health Act 2007.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) report The Rise in the use of the MHA to detain people in England, published on 22 January 2018, identified a number of issues which may have contributed to the rise in detentions under the Mental Health Act 1983.These issues include changes in mental health service provision and bed management, and the fact that patients may be admitted more frequently than before, either as part of a plan of care or because of premature discharge. The report also acknowledged that demographic and social changes have resulted in an increase in the size of population that is at risk of detention.A copy of the CQC’s report is attached.The Government is aware that rates of detention under the Mental Health Act 1983 have been rising and welcomes the CQC’s report. The report acknowledges that the Government is improving services and that these may help to reverse the increases in detentions under the Act, pointing to NHS England’s national access standard for Early Intervention in Psychosis services and the £400 million dedicated as part of the Five Year Forward View for Mental health to enhance crisis resolution home treatment teams.The rise in detentions under the Act is one of the reasons the Government has commissioned an Independent Review of the Mental Health Act. The Review, chaired by Professor Sir Simon Wessely, has been tasked with reviewing issues around the legislation itself and the practice surrounding it, and it will make its recommendations to Government in autumn 2018.The CQC is one of a number of organisations working closely with the Independent Review and its report was produced with the expectation that it be considered by the Review.



The Rise in the use of the MHA to detain people
(PDF Document, 395.16 KB)

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the preventative work done by the non-statutory sector in providing support to children and young people with mental health illnesses in vulnerable families; and what assessment they have made of how such provision can be boosted with additional resources to complement and enhance the work undertaken by health care professional staff.

lord o'shaughnessy: The non-statutory sector plays a vital role in supporting children with mental health needs, including those in vulnerable families. To support local leadership and accountability for local transformation, Future in Mind introduced cross-agency Local Transformation Plans for children and young people’s mental health services. These now form part of local Sustainability and Transformation Plans and provide a basis for local areas to work with commissioners and providers across health, social care, education, youth justice and the voluntary sector, bringing everyone together to plan strategically, reflecting the needs of local communities. All plans must provide evidence of effective joint working with the voluntary sector.This programme is supported by an additional £1.4 billion available from 2015/16 to 2019/20 to transform children and young people’s mental health services. NHS England’s 2016 survey Children and young people’s mental health Local Transformation Plans – a summary of key themes, includes many examples of work with the voluntary sector. A copy is attached.The Government is aware that more needs to be done to support children with mental health from vulnerable families. The Green Paper, Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health Provision, published last year, includes proposals to improve early intervention through Mental Health Support Teams linked to schools. We are consulting on the approach to implementing these proposals, including how they can best support vulnerable groups. The Green Paper also includes a commitment to commission research on how to engage vulnerable families, to provide information to local areas when referring children and parents to both parenting and parental conflict interventions. A copy of the Green Paper is attached.



Children and young people's mental health
(PDF Document, 655.37 KB)




Green Paper
(PDF Document, 1.14 MB)

Pregnancy Tests

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to fund independent scientific research into hormone pregnancy tests; and whether they are planningto set up an independent public inquiry into such tests.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Commission on Human Medicines Expert Working Group on Hormone Pregnancy Tests was established in 2015 to consider all the available evidence on the possible association between exposure in pregnancy to hormone pregnancy tests and adverse outcomes in pregnancy. The Expert Working Group conducted a comprehensive, scientifically robust and independent review of all available scientific evidence relating to hormone pregnancy tests including the responses to a public call for evidence. In reaching its conclusion that, taking all aspects into consideration, the available evidence did not support a causal association between the use of hormone pregnancy tests during early pregnancy, the Expert Working Group made a number of forward-looking recommendations to further strengthen the scientific evidence which supports safety monitoring of medicines in pregnancy. The current focus of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is on implementing these recommendations.The Government’s priority, as always, is the safety of patients. While there are no plans to fund independent scientific research into hormone pregnancy tests (which have not been available since 1978), should any further evidence emerge of direct relevance to hormone pregnancy tests the MHRA will evaluate this. In addition, certain recommendations of the Expert Working Group’s review are anticipated to encourage relevant research into the safety of medicines in pregnancy.

Social Services: Fees and Charges

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding they set aside to implement the cap on care costs, as previously scheduled for 2020; whether that money has been spent; and if so, how.

lord o'shaughnessy: Spending decisions are taken to reflect Government priorities and in light of the evolving fiscal position. We will set out any changes in due course. The Government will publish the Social Care Green Paper by Summer 2018 setting out its proposals for reform, in order to build a sustainable and quality care system for all.

Tobacco

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any UK overseas posts have provided assistance to the tobacco industry in countries in receipt of UK Government funding for tobacco control activity, including funding to support implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, since the issuing of revised guidance to posts in December 2013.

lord o'shaughnessy: The United Kingdom Government is investing £15 million of Official Development Assistance funds to promote the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) through the FCTC 2030 project. The five year project, being led by the FCTC secretariat in Geneva, is currently in its second year. The UK’s diplomatic missions in each of the fifteen countries have been made aware of the project.The UK Government and UK officials overseas are committed to limiting interactions with the tobacco industry as part of Her Majesty’s Government’s obligations under the FCTC. Posts have engaged with the tobacco industry, but will not engage with foreign governments on behalf of the tobacco industry except in cases where local policies could be considered protectionist or discriminatory.

Tobacco

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government which countries are in receipt of UK Government funding for tobacco control work, including implementation of the provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

lord o'shaughnessy: The United Kingdom Government is investing £15 million of Official Development Assistance funds to promote the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) through the FCTC 2030 project. The five year project, being led by the FCTC secretariat in Geneva, is currently in its second year.Through an open and fair process, fifteen countries have been selected to receive direct support under the project. The countries are: Burma, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Chad, Colombia, Egypt, El Salvador, Georgia, Jordan, Madagascar, Nepal, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka and Zambia.A Tobacco Control Capacity project was recently announced, funded through the Global Challenges Research Fund. This is a four year £3.4 million programme of training and research work and involves UK academics in five Universities who are all part of the UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, a UK Clinical Research Collaboration Centre for Public Health Excellence, along with research organisations in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, India, South Africa and Uganda.

Charing Cross Hospital

lord trefgarne: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are their plans for the future of Charing Cross Hospital in west London.

lord o'shaughnessy: Any possible significant change to services is a matter for the local National Health Service. It is right that these decisions are led by local clinicians, who best understand the healthcare needs of their local populations, and in consultation with local people The North West London (NWL) Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) was published on 10 November 2016. A core component of the NWL STP is a programme called Shaping a Healthier Future (SaHF). The SaHF proposals underwent full public consultation in 2012. This included proposals for changes to accident and emergency (A&E) services at Charing Cross Hospital which is run by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust (ICHT).   ICHT will not make any changes to the A&E department at Charing Cross Hospital during the current Comprehensive Spending Review period, which lasts until 2021.The Trust invested £8 million in Charing Cross last year, to refurbish urgent and emergency care wards, theatres, outpatient clinics and lifts and to create a patient service centre and the main new facility for North West London Pathology.Works commenced in January 2018 on the Charing Cross site which will expand the space available for mental health and ambulatory patients.

Mental Illness: Financial Services

lord mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that people with mental health problems are getting the practical support they need with issues such as money and debt.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Government recognises the impact that debt may have on mental health and wellbeing and the difficulties that may be experienced by people with mental health problems in managing their debt. We know that mental health services, including Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services, can signpost patients to debt advice services as part of their care. General practitioner (GP) practices can also signpost patients to debt advice services as part of their care and some practices have arrangements in place with local Citizens Advice Bureaux and debt advice services to provide outreach support in primary care.In January 2017, the Prime Minister announced the Government would review the practice of GPs charging patients experiencing debt issues to complete Mental Health Evidence Forms when they require medical evidence for their creditors. The Department is working with the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute and a range of stakeholders from the financial and debt advice sectors and the British Medical Association to undertake the review.

Cabinet Office

Public Sector: Procurement

the earl of kinnoull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the EU Commission Notice issued on 10 January stating that EU public procurement rules will cease to apply to the UK from 30 March 2019.

lord young of cookham: The December guidelines published by the European Council point to the shared desire of the EU and the UK to make rapid progress on an implementation period, with formal talks beginning very soon. We have been clear that this should be based on the existing structure of EU rules and regulations, during which the UK and the EU would continue to have access to one another’s markets on current terms.

Carillion

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Young of Cookham on 25 January (HL4735), which Carillion contractshave had work suspended while analternative provider contractor is found.

lord young of cookham: The Official Receiver is conducting an orderly liquidation of the company. Our priority is the continuity of public services. Of the private sector service contracts, 90% of these services customers have indicated that they want Carillion to continue providing services in the interim until new suppliers can be found and will provide funding which enables the Official Receiver to retain the employees working on those contracts.

Conflict, Stability and Security Fund

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund is spent on (1) family planning, (2) sexual and reproductive health and rights, and (3) population issues, in the developing world.

lord young of cookham: The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) does not fund programmes specifically supporting family planning, sexual and reproductive health and rights, or population issues. The CSSF’s portfolio includes programmes which seek to prevent sexual violence in conflict situations and which empower women to seek justice.More broadly, all CSSF programmes must apply the 2014 International Development (Gender Equality) Act. This means integrating activities into all conflict and stabilisation work which are likely to contribute to reducing gender equality.Further information on CSSF programmes can be found atwww.gov.uk/government/publications/conflict-stability-and-security-fund-cssfFurther information on how the CSSF is contributing to the government’s National Action Plan for Women, Peace and Security can be found atwww.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-national-action-plan-on-women-peace-and-security-2018-to-2022



National Action Plan for Women, Peace and Security
(PDF Document, 2.05 MB)

Conflict, Stability and Security Fund

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government which countries receive Official Development Assistancethrough the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund.

lord young of cookham: The CSSF provides Official Development Assistance funding to the following countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Burundi, Burma, Chad, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Guyana, Indonesia, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Mali, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, Niger, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Overseas Territories (including Montserrat, St Helena, Pitcairn and Tristan da Cunha), Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Yemen.More information can be found in the Fund’s Annual Report.

Prosperity Fund

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the Prosperity Fund is spent on (1) family planning, (2) sexual and reproductive health and rights, and (3) population issues, in the developing world.

lord young of cookham: During the first year of the Fund, three projects addressed population issues, totalling around £200,000. No work was undertaken on family planning or sexual and reproductive health and rights.The Prosperity Fund aims to reduce poverty through inclusive economic growth in countries which are eligible for Official Development Assistance. Its recent Annual Report contains more information.

Prosperity Fund

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government which countries receive Official Development Assistancethrough the Prosperity Fund.

lord young of cookham: In the first year of the Prosperity Fund, small projects were funded in Angola, Argentina, Brazil, Burma, Chile, China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Mozambique, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.Larger, multi-year programmes are now being developed, building on the foundations laid by smaller projects in 2016/17. The countries where these programmes will operate are set out in the Prosperity Fund Annual Report.

Extended Ministerial Offices

lord hennessy of nympsfield: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many extended ministerial offices have been established in the home Civil Service; in which departments; how many are still in existence; and where.

lord young of cookham: There are no longer any extended ministerial offices in existence. They were abolished in July 2016, when the current Prime Minister took office. Extended Ministerial Offices had previously been established in in the Cabinet Office, the Department for Communities and Local Government; the Department for Education, the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs and the Scotland Office.

Crime: Statistics

lord mackenzie of framwellgate: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is a difference between the numbers of crimes reported to the police and the numbers of crimes published in the British Crime Survey for the same period; and, if so, what is their assessment of the reasons why.

lord young of cookham: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply and I will place a copy of their letter in the Library of the House.

UK Membership of EU: Referendums

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether incorrect information on social media influenced the outcome of the referendum on the UK's membership of the EU.

lord young of cookham: The Government has made no specific assessment of this. The EU referendum was a democratic exercise, run under the rules on campaigning as set out in the European Union Referendum Act 2015. The Government believes that the result of the referendum should be respected and delivered.The Government recognises the problems caused by misleading and false information online more broadly, and we take the security and integrity of our democratic processes very seriously.The Government’s manifesto includes a commitment to take steps to protect the reliability and objectivity of information that is essential to our democracy and a free, independent press. Therefore we are working with the broadcast and press sectors, social media and the broader tech industry, academics and international partner governments to ensure we have a news environment where accurate content can prevail. We are also working to improve the critical analysis and digital literacy skills of the wider population.

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Government

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they are giving to the establishment of a new Civic Forum in Northern Ireland, with the intention of reviving the underlying principles of the Belfast Agreement, in particular respect for all existing cultural and political traditions, and willingness to come together for the common good.

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potentialrole for a Civic Forum in Northern Ireland to articulate public opinion on political priorities, in the context of the totality of relationships within Northern Ireland, within Ireland, and within the Anglo-Celtic Islands, in the approach to, and aftermath of, the UK leaving the EU.

lord duncan of springbank: As is set out in the Belfast Agreement, the 1998 Northern Ireland Act, and subsequent political agreements, decisions about the Civic Forum are a devolved matter for the Executive and the Assembly. This Government’s absolute priority is getting devolution up and running again in Northern Ireland. My Rt honourable Friend, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, has announced a short, intensive phase of political Talks to restore devolution to Northern Ireland. She provided Parliament with an update on the 7 February.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Darts

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cultural and educational value of the sport of dart playing.

lord ashton of hyde: Government's strategy Sporting Future is clear that everyone should have the opportunity to engage in sport and physical activity and to enjoy the benefits that this brings. Many sports, including darts, have a huge potential to deliver a range of positive outcomes including physical and mental wellbeing as well as individual and community development. The most recently published Active Lives survey shows that 8,800 people in England regularly play darts.

BBC: Equal Pay

lord pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ashton of Hydeon 25 January (HL4692) and in the light of the report by PricewaterhouseCoopers into on-air pay and the criticisms of its findings by the BBC Women campaign group, what discussions they have had with the BBC regarding its obligation to address the gender pay gap.

lord ashton of hyde: I refer the Noble Lord to the answer to PQ HL4621 provided on 19 January 2018.

Food: Advertising

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of restricting junk food advertisements to children in all forms of media; and what consideration they have given to a ban on such advertisements on television before the 9pm watershed.

lord ashton of hyde: We are committed to tackling childhood obesity and supporting people to make healthy choices. Strict new rules came into effect on 1 July 2017 banning the advertising of high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) food or drink products in children’s media. These restrictions apply across all non-broadcast media including in print, cinema, online and in social media. In addition in August 2017 we announced £5 million investment in a policy research unit on obesity to provide a robust evidence, evaluation and research capability including looking at advertising and promotions. Advertising is regulated by the independent Advertising Standards Authority and underpinned by consumer protection legislation. This system is independent of the Government. It is vital that the advertising codes reflect the best available evidence of the effect of advertising on the public, and are periodically reviewed to ensure they remain fit for purpose

The Senior Deputy Speaker

British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly

lord jopling: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how many full members of the British–Irish Parliamentary Assembly from the UK there are; how many peers serve as full members; what percentage of the total number of delegates those peers represent; and what percentage of the total cost of the Assembly is charged to the House of Lords administration.

lord mcfall of alcluith: There are 25 full members of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly from the UK Parliament; of these, eight are members of the House of Lords, representing 32 per cent of the UK Parliament delegates and 11.8 per cent of all full members of the Assembly (which comprise 68 in total); and 30 per cent of the total cost of the UK Parliament’s contribution to the Assembly is charged to the House of Lords Administration. Information is not held on costs of the Assembly incurred by its other constituent bodies (that is, the Houses of the Oireachtas, the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the National Assembly for Wales, the Isle of Man Tynwald, the States of Guernsey and the States of Jersey).